Surgical glove drying apparatus



April 27, 1948.

SURGICAL GLOVE DRYING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 16, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 0. Fe/wv/cw.

% f ATTORNEYS April 27, 1948. l. b. FENW ICK SURGICAL GLOVE DRYING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 16, 1944 2 Sheets-Shea; 2

W9 I "h"" INVENTOR WY 0. Fav/wc/r B (ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 27, 1948 UNITED OFFICE J 2,440,398 Q 7 isuRGicAL oLov-E DRYING APPARATUS 1w n. reawica'nmemyn, N. Y. Application August 16, 1944, swarm. 549,667

11 Claims. (Cl. 34 105) This invention relatesto an apparatuswhichis designed and adapted to be usediadvantageously ior'dryingsurgical gloves a'ft'e'rf v they have been washed. j

The principal object of the'linvention is the provision of an apparatus of the indicated character whereby the interior and exterior surfaces of the gloves are subjected to "heated air to thoroughly dry the gloves in a'hygieni'c manner.

A further object oi the'invention is the provision of an apparatus of the indicatedcharacter whereby a large number of gloves may be dried simultaneously, and wherein provision is made for varying the flow of air and for varying the amount of heat according to the number of gloves being dried. I i I A further object is the provisionof an apparatus of the indicated character which "is com- ;pact, simple and durable, and which maybe operated economicallyf for" the intended purposes.

With the foregoing, other objects of the invention will appear when the following specifi cation is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which, I n

Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional View of an apparatus embodying the features of the present invention. v V

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken approximately on the line 2-2 of. Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing certain .features of the means for supporting a glove so that it may be dried.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line -4 .of .Figure 3.

Referring now more particularly'to the draw.- ings, it will be apparent that in the embodiunent :of the invention as illustrated, the appara-tus includes a suitable base Ill, a hollow outer stator structure ll mounted onthe base H1, and a hollow inner rotor structure 42 mounted to rotate within thestructure H. The structures l I and #2 are substantially barrel shape. and may .be made of any suitable .materialdor combination of materials. The stator structure H is large enough to combine with the rotor structure l2 to form an air chamber l3 extending entirely around the side and top of the member 12.

The outer structure H in'the present instance consists of -a casingnf two sections and ;I5.-re- -.spectively. The section, 14 constitutes a bottom and may be made of metal. The section M is of dished construction to :Eo'rm a circular tray portion it'fisurrounding an upstanding circular flange Tl] which in turn .surro'undsa circular collar 1.8, and there being air inlet openings [*9 in the bot tom Section N intervening the flange n1 afidiiollar 18. A spider construction is thus prbvided centrally of the. section I ll. "Iii-e upper section 15 isp're'ferably made or suitable transparent plastic material or glass. The section Iii-includes a. hinged door 29 or other closure member which. controls .an opening 12 to alio'rd access to the chamber 43. The outer upturned edge of the: section {M is rabbeted to receive thelower 011 cular edge of the section l5 as at'z'z.

The base ll) .of metal is hollow in construe-- tion andhas a cylindrical housing 23 at the top which fits in the collar 13. The housing ZB'has. a circular lateral .fiange 26 on which the no'llar t8: rests. The stator structure I] .thus mounted.

on and-supported by the base 411, to which it may be secured in any suitable manner.

The rotor structure 12 is in theiorm -of a shell". open at the bottom and closed at the ton It. may be made of any suitable material such as transparent plastic orglass. The structure 1'2 includes .a ,removableseotion or door to afiordi access 1170 the interior theneof. 'The lower open; end of the rotor M surrounds (the. flange .ll'l .andi an .antifric'ztionbearihg 25 is interposed between: said end and the flange. The rotor 12 thusarticulated with the stator If so thatitmay 1 o- .tate with respect thereto and also receive .atmospheric air thrdugh the .lrflet openin s 1.9.. The rotor 11 2 serves as warmer ,to'r the meanswhich supports a plurality of the articles to be dried in the apparatus. The means provided is adapted to support rubber surgical jgloiie's' 30... Accordingly, each glove is supreme, on "a short; tube .3] carried bythe side wan of the rotor I2 and opening there'through to communicate with the interior oi. the rotor. A suitable number off similar tubes3.l are provided and they Urbic't; laterally upward from the side wall or the rotor, .asfs'h' own in Figure 1. .A singletuhe 31 is shown; 'infEigurles 3 and '4 on an enlarged scale. Each tube 31' is adapted jto..rece'ive the cuff portion of a glove withthe tube projecting into .tliecuif. Clamps .32 are pivdta'lly mounted, asfat 3.3 on brackets 34, res ectively; fixed on the tube '31.

vilaciinelamp32 isbrougnt to a clamping position "by a helical sprin'gfsa'which haspne' endrsecure'ii to the clamp, and itsopposite "end secured to the bracketfThecl amp I32 has a transverse bowed pressure member '36 to tightly engage the cuff of the glove with the tube. .A-pa'ir of "clamps 32' is used on each'itube and'the clamps arexarranged diametrically opposite each othenas 'sh'o'w'nin Eigure 4. A step 3.1 .qn'each "bracket :14 limits the movement of the related clamp 32 totheope'n;

position oif center with respect to its pivot. In the closed position, the pair of clamps engage the cuff of the glove arranged on the tube and retain it in position for the drying operation.

Each tube 3| has air outlet apertures 39 therein near the inlet end of the tube and beyond the entrance end edge of the cuff of the glove. The port area of the inlet end of the tube 3| is greater than the total outlet port area of the apertures 39. This enables air to enter the tube and to cause the glove to be inflated as the air circulates within the glove by entering the tube 3| through the inlet end from the interior of the rotor, and to flow out through the apertures 39 into the chamber I3.

In order to rotate the rotor structure |2 so that "the gloves arranged thereon travel around in 'the chamber l3, there is provided an electric motor 40., which is supported on a plate mounting 4| secured to the flange H by screws 42. The motor :is disposed within the housing 23 of the base HI. .A vertical shaft 43 is geared to the motor shaft .by speed reducing gearing (not shown) so that :the shaft 43 will turn slowly. The upper end of the shaft 43 is rigidly secured to the top of the :rotor I 2 by a flanged coupling element 44 on the shaft and a clamping nut 45 threaded on the element 44. This element 44 is received in a bearing 46 carried by the stator The motor 40 drives the shaft 43 which in turn rotates the rotor I2.

In order to circulate heated air to the tubes 3| there are provided cooperatively arranged electric fans 41 and heaters 48 within the rotor l2. The fans and heaters are mounted in pairs on perforated circular shelves 49 arranged in superposed spaced relation with respect to each other. Each shelf 49 has three fans 41 and three heaters secured thereon. The fans 41 are disposed innermost with respect to the axis of the'shaft 43 so that the fans cause a laterally outward circulation of heated air distributed evenly. The fans have cupped blades. The heaters may be of any suitable electrical type. A sleeve 50 surrounds the shaft 43. The lower end of the sleeve has a flange which has holes to accommodate the screws 42. The sleeve is thus rigidly secured. The shelves 49 are secured to the sleeve 50 in any practical manner. ,As shown thesleeve is stepped to provide shoulders on which the shelves respectively rest, while set screws 52 secure the shelves against movement.

Electric current from a suitable source is supplied'to energize the fans and heaters. The fans and heaters on each shelf are electrically connected in separate circuits with a common feed conductor and a common return conductor. Thus, there are three fan circuits and three heater circuits, with a switch 53 for each fan circuit and a switch 54 for each heater circuit. The motor 40 also receives current from said source and a switch 55 is included in the motor circuit. The switches 53, 54 and 55 are arranged on a plate 56 having appropriate indices to identify the switches. It will be understood that the fans and heaters may be employed severally, or all at one time, according to the number of gloves to be dried. Thus provision is made for varying the flow of air and also for varying the amount of heat according to the number and position of the gloves being dried.

The lower end of the rotor I2 has a circular channel 51 formed thereon tocatch water which may run down from the tubes on the side wall of the rotor, The channel 51 has a pet cock 58.

4 The tray |6 has a drain tube 59. A suitable coriduit may be connected with the pet cock 58 and the tube 59 when it is desired to drain off any water which may have accumulated in the channel 51.

The door 20 may be opened for the purpose of clamping the gloves 30 on the tubes 3.|. It is understood the rotor |2 may be turned by hand to enable these operations to be carried out. Also, the section 25 of the rotor.|2 may be removed while the door 20 is open to afford access to the fans and heaters for any purpose.

After the gloves have been washed and sterilized, they are clamped on the tubes 3|, and the door 20 is closed, the proper switches are closed to energize the fans, heaters and the motor. The rotor l2 will be caused to rotate causing the gloves to travel slowly around in the chamber l3. At the same time atmospheric air will be drawn upwardly into the interior of the rotor l2 through the openings l9 by the fans 41 and will be blown across the heaters 48 into the tubes 3| evenly distributed. The heated air entering the tubes will cause infiation'of the gloves and subject the interior surfaces thereof to a drying action before passing out of the apertures 38 into the chamber l3. The section If has a plurality of vent holes 60 in the top thereof to liberate the heated air from the chamber I3 to complete the circulation of the air. The gloves travelling around in the chamber |3 containing the heated air will have the exterior surfaces thereof dried simultaneously with the drying of the interior surfaces of the gloves. The thoroughly dried gloves may then be removed in an obvious manner.

While I have shown and described what I consider to be the preferred embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that such changes in construction, materials, design, and uses as come within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to if desired without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In an apparatus of the character'described, an outer stationary casing, an inner rotary casing within the outer casing and defining therewith an air chamber extending entirely around the side and top of the inner casing, means for rotatably supporting and driving said inner casing, said outer casing having atmospheric air inlets communicating with the interior of the inner casing at the bottom thereof, said outer casing having air vents in the top thereof, means arranged within said inner casing to draw atmospheric air into the inner casing through said inlets and promote circulation of the air, and means on the inner casing communicating with the interior thereof and projecting into said chamber to receive air from the inner casing and let it flow into said chamber for the purpose of drying articles arranged on said last means, said outer casing having means of access to the interior thereof. I

2., Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, having heating means arranged within said inner casing to heat the air passing therethrough.

3. In an apparatus for drying articles such as surgical rubber gloves, a hollow rotatable member having exterior tubular parts communicating with the interior of said member to receive air and to support the articles for subjection to the air, said tubular parts having ports whi h are normally uncovered when supporting the articles, means to rotate said hollow member, and

. means inside said member for forcing the air into the tubular parts for distribution over the interior and exterior surfaces of the articles simultaneously to dry the same during the rotation of said rotatable means.

4. In an apparatus for drying rubber gloves, a hollow rotatable structure, motor means to rotate said structure, tubes on said structure and projecting therefrom and in communication with the interior of said structure, said tubes having ports which are normally uncovered, means to detachably hold a glove on each of said tubes with the tube serving as an air conduit communicating with the interior of the glove, and air circulating means comprising fans within said structure for delivering air to said tubes and out of said uncovered ports during the rotation of said structure.

5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 3, having heaters associated with said fans to heat the air. 6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4, having stationary shelves Whereon said fans are mounted.

7. In a drying apparatus of the character described, a hollow rotor, means to drive said rotor, means on said rotor and communicating with the interior thereof to support each of a plurality of gloves so that air may circulate to dry the interior surfaces of each glove, said supporting means being on the outside of the rotor, means comprising fans within said rotor for circulating air over said gloves, means within said rotor for supporting said fans, and a hollowstator providing an air chamber in conjunction with the rotor within which the gloves may travel in response to the movement of said rotor to dry the exterior surfaces of said gloves.

8. A drying apparatus as set forth in claim 7, having a heater mounted on, said fan-supporting means cooperating with said fans whereby the circulated air is heated.

9. A drying apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein said air flows from the interior of said gloves into said chamber and out through outlet means for the chamber and embodied by said stator.

10. In a drying apparatus of the character described, a hollow member to support each of a plurality of surgical rubber gloves so that the interior surfaces of each glove may be dried, circulating means for heated air within said hollow member, means for rotatably supporting and driving said member, a tubular member having an air inlet end communicating with the interior of said hollow member and an air outlet end communicating with the interior of the related glove, means to detachably hold a glove on said tubular member, said tubular member also having outlet apertures in the side wall near the inlet end thereof, the port area of said inlet end being larger than the total port area of said outlet apertures by virtue of which the air entering said inlet end causes inflation of the related glove while circulating within the glove and out of said apertures to also dry the exterior surfaces of the glove.

11. A drying apparatus as set forth in claim 10, having fans and stationary supports therefor within said hollow member to cause the air to circulate for the stated purposes.

' IVY D. FENWICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the Number Name Date 1,450,033 Gowan Mar. 27, 1923 1,969,953 Swartz Aug. 14, 1934 2,152,620 Morton Mar. 28, 1939 2,197,788 Cissell Apr. 23, 1940 2,228,708 Rosendahl Jan. 14, 1941 40 2,340,206 Richards Jan. 25, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 342,981 Great Britain Feb. 12, 1931 560,349 Germany Oct. 1, 1932 

